Introductions & Early Morning Runs
by jareya
Summary: The third story in the series that began with 'Brownies and Surprises' and continued with 'Spinach and The Third "Mission Mom"'. In this one, Mac's pregnancy has reached the six month mark, and Mattie brings home a new friend.
1. Chapter 1

**Introductions & Early Morning Runs**

**A/N**: This is the third story in the series that began with 'Brownies and Surprises' and continued with 'Spinach and The Third "Mission Mom"'. In this one, Mac's pregnancy has reached the six month mark, and Mattie brings home a new friend.

I've taken some license with this story… especially with the age difference between Mattie and the older characters, which is different than in the series. This will have three chapters – here's the first. Thanks in advance for reading and reviewing!

**Disclaimer**: Yep, just checked, still don't own anything.

_**Chapter One**_

_**Harm's POV**_:

I know it's trite and cheesy, but sometimes life's "mistakes" and "accidents" really are blessings in disguise. People have called me impulsive and reckless in the past, but perhaps there's a reason why I'm not afraid to take chances. Experience has taught me that split-second decisions, made on the basis of good instincts, very often turn out for the best. Planning everything ahead, down to the last detail, is nice, but not always practical… or even necessary. When you have to think quickly, your instincts kick in – and the gut is much more powerful than people realize. Sometimes your subconscious knows what you need before the rest of you does… sometimes you need to go out on a limb in order to fly.

If there's one thing my relationships have taught me though, it's the importance of sharing your feelings with the people you love. The thought of talking about my feelings used to send me running for the hills, but not anymore. I've learned the hard way that in a relationship, keeping emotional truths tightly locked up leads to doubts, mixed messages and resentment. Being open allows relationships to deepen and mature. It's another kind of risk-taking. As scary as it can be to lay it on the line and be truly vulnerable with another person, it pays off big time, when that person is truly worthy of your trust. Not everything always needs to be shared, though, and striking the delicate balance between saying too much and holding too much back takes a great deal of wisdom… it's something I'm still trying to learn.

You're probably wondering why I'm philosophizing all of a sudden… these are some of the life lessons I share with the people I love; the ones I want to pass on to my children, and sometimes I have to teach them to myself all over again.

_**Jack's POV:**_

My baby brother is taking longer than I thought he would to come out of Mom's big belly. He's started to kick around in there now, which is a good sign I guess – he'll probably be a good ball player. Sometimes, Mum lets us feel the baby kick… it feels weird. Dad touches Mom's belly all the time, and when the baby kicks, he gets really happy. One time, he almost started to cry though. When I asked him why, he said he was just really happy. I'll never understand why grown-ups want to cry when they're happy.

Katie and I are on summer vacation now. Mom stopped going to work a while ago, because the doctors said she needed to rest more. So now she's home with us. Every afternoon, a nice lady called Charlie comes over to help Mom around the house. Sometimes a nurse comes to check on Mom. Even though Mom can't play with us too much because of the baby inside her, it's nice to have her home.

My big sister Mattie called us on the phone today, and she says she's coming home soon, with her new friend, Josh. I hope Josh is nice and likes to play outside.

_**Three days later**_

_**Mac's POV:**_

My first impression of Josh is that he's polite, quiet and slender. Behind his glasses are dark, gentle eyes that immediately give the impression of deep thought and steely strength. I like him… a lot, almost instantly… he feels like a kindred spirit. He seems solid to me, trustworthy. He and Mattie arrived about an hour ago, and now we're sitting in the kitchen eating sandwiches and fruit with Katie and Jack.

Suddenly, Mattie gets to her feet and beckons to the kids. 'Come here guys, I want to show you what I got you.'

'Don't you and Josh want to get some rest after the long drive?' I ask.

'I think we're good. Right, Josh? Besides, I want to give you and Josh a little time to get to know each other.'

I watch Mattie as she slowly makes her way to her bedroom, Jack and Katie bouncing around in front of her. Her walk is slow, impeded by her limp, but it is always so good to see her walk. Once upon a time, it was a blessing we could only hope for. Her sun-streaked hair pours in waves over her back – it's beautiful. She looks good – tanned and happy, with a sparkle in her eye… a sparkle I'm guessing that Josh has helped put there. Speaking of Josh, I turn to him and catch him following Mattie with his eyes too, and the puppy-dog expression on his face almost makes me laugh out loud.

'You've got it bad, young man.'

He looks up at me, smiling. He looks me straight in the eye – I like that. 'She's amazing.'

I rise to pour him another glass of juice. 'I agree. You're obviously serious about her.'

'I am,' he says, rubbing the back of his neck. 'I have to admit I begged her to bring me here. She wasn't _quite_ ready for me to meet you, the Admiral and the kids, and she still has some misgivings, but I've heard so much about you that I just couldn't wait to meet you all.'

'Tell me about yourself, Josh.'

'Well, I've been working with kids for several years now. I'm 26. I have a degree in Child Psychology and usually work at Ellesmere Hospital in Philadelphia. I took a leave of absence to work at the summer camp – it was founded by one of my mentors a couple of years ago. And…,' he says, smiling warmly, 'I'm in love with Mattie Grace Johnson.'

'Ah, but you've only known her for a few months.'

'True, but I knew I loved her after about two days. We had a really strong connection from the moment we met. The great thing about camp was the lack of distractions – it was just us and the kids, and when they weren't running us ragged, we spent all our time together. I feel like I've known her all my life. It's not just infatuation… this is the real deal for me.'

'What made you fall for her?'

'Her strength, her sensitivity, her stubbornness, her sense of humour, her passion, her love for kids, her optimism. She's beautiful of course, but what attracted me to her is how down-to-earth she is, how she's been through so much but still has such a zest for life.'

I find myself nodding as I listen to him talk about Mattie. I marvel at how comfortable I feel with him – we've skipped the small talk and gone straight to the nitty-gritty, and it doesn't feel at all awkward. I'm impressed at how open he is about his feelings for Mattie. I smile to myself as I realize that Harm and I could have used some lessons from him back in the day.

He speaks up again. 'Ma'am, I'm sure you've figured this out, but Mattie has a strategy here. She thinks the Admiral won't take a liking to me, and she is hoping that I get into your good books so that you can have a word with the Admiral on my behalf.'

'First of all, "the Admiral" is Harm in this house – and I'm Mac. And yes, I know what Mattie's up to. Harm is very protective of Mattie. He just wants to look out for her, like any father.'

'Mattie thinks he'd prefer her to be with someone in the military.'

'She's mistaken there. We might be a military family on both sides, but the truth is, as far as Harm is concerned, _no one_ is good enough for our Mattie. Harm doesn't discriminate – his respect is always won on merit. The fact that you work with kids will impress him – he loves children. But it might be a little rough at the start.'

'I can handle that. Mattie makes me feel like I can handle anything.'

_Ahh… nothing quite like young love_, I think to myself. 'Well, I know I'm speaking for Harm and myself when I say that all we want is for Mattie to be happy. As long as you make her happy, we'll be happy. And you seem like a smart guy – which means you've _probably_ figured out that we _will_ come after you if you break her heart. And I'm only half-kidding.'

Josh laughs. 'Thanks Mac, but I have no intention of doing any heart-breaking where Mattie's concerned. I guess we'll have to see how things go when she and I get back to our regular lives in Philly, with school, work and everything else, but I might as well tell you right now – if everything goes well between us, I plan to marry her someday, if she'll have me.'

'Whoa… that's… direct!'

'I guess…,' and he looks a little sheepish as he says it. 'I really wasn't planning to tell you that today.'

Mattie emerges from her bedroom just as Josh finishes speaking, and turns to Josh. 'I guess we should go get you settled at your hotel.' Turning to me, she adds, 'I've invited Josh over for dinner, I hope that's ok.'

'Mattie, you know your friends are always welcome here. And what's this talk of hotels? Josh is staying right here with us. We've got the guest room ready and everything.'

Mattie looks doubtful. 'Are you sure? I mean, Josh doesn't want to be an inconvenience….'

'Nonsense… it's absolutely fine.'

Josh looks doubtful too. 'Uh, Mac, I would feel more comfortable staying at a hotel until you all get to know me a bit better.'

'Ok,' I respond, 'but you'll get over that feeling, trust me. And _we'll_ feel more comfortable having you stay with us. You're staying here, Josh, and that's final.'


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two:**_

_**Harm's POV:**_

I'm irritated. I just got off the phone with Admiral Trenton, who's been speaking to the SECNAV, who as usual is trying to play political games with what really is an open-and-shut case involving one of the lawyers under my command. I love some aspects of my job, but I _hate_ the diplomatic BS I have to put up with. I'm about to resume my attempt to read through yet another boring policy document when a call from Mac is put through.

'Hey honey.'

'Hey Harm. How's your day going?'

'It's one of _those_… I can't wait to come home and to see Mattie… I've missed her.'

'Speaking of which, please don't be late for dinner… remember Josh is joining us.'

I roll my eyes. 'Is he still staying at our house?'

I hear Mac sigh impatiently. 'Harm, we've been over this….'

'I'm just saying, he could be an ax murderer or worse… we really don't know this man.'

'You had him checked out, Harm, remember? I still feel a little uncomfortable about that, by the way. And all you found were a couple of parking tickets.'

'Which could denote a lack of discipline.'

'Harm!'

'Mac, Mattie has known this guy for all of three months. He could be dangerous.'

'Well, in that case, isn't it obvious that the wisest course of action is to have him right under our noses where we can get a good sense of who he is? This week is the perfect opportunity to get to know Josh before Mattie goes back to Philadelphia – where he'll be waiting for her.'

'Most people don't let their children's friends of the opposite sex stay over until the kids are out of the house.'

'And we _always _do what "most people" do, right?' Mac sighs, 'Look Harm, Mattie's really serious about this guy, and if the thought of them having sex under our roof bothers you, don't worry – he'll be in the guest room.'

'I'm not just worried about Mattie; we have to keep the little ones safe too.'

'Obviously we won't be leaving him alone with them, Harm. And Josh works with children, remember?'

'A lot of unsavory individuals work with children, Mac. What happens at night when we're all asleep?'

'Harm, you're clutching at straws here. Listen, if it makes you feel better, Katie and Jack can sleep with us for the week. And then you can deal with the drama of getting them to go back to their own beds next week. Or we can lock Josh in the guest room at night and look like a pair of total psychos. Or you can sleep up on the landing with your gun in your lap and a baseball bat between your teeth. Either way, Harm, you know it makes sense for Josh to stay with us. Besides, I need a lot of rest these days, so it'll be great to have Mattie and Josh around to help keep Jack and Katie occupied.'

'But -'

'No more "buts", Harmon. You have to trust that you've raised Mattie well enough to have good judgment. Besides, I've met the guy and I like him.'

_Uh oh. If Mac is already a fan of this guy, I'm hopelessly outnumbered and overpowered already._

'Alright Mac, you win. I've got to go; I have to get back to work if I'm going to make it out of here at a decent hour. See you soon. Love you.'

'Love you too. Bye'.

_**Mattie's POV:**_

I really shouldn't be this nervous. I'm almost 21, a full-fledged adult in every sense of the word. I've always been independent, and now more than ever, I have the right to choose my own path in life. And Harm is not just a father figure to me, he's a friend. I can talk to him about anything – well, almost anything. But I can't help being worried – I'm terrified that he's going to hate Josh. And then what am I going to do? I guess I'm only just realizing how much Harm's approval means to me.

Mac and I are in the kitchen. I'm making dinner tonight, and she's keeping me company. Jack and Katie are watching cartoons in the living room. Mac's been asking me lots of questions about summer camp and telling me about her 40th birthday and how the kids gave her an amazing surprise, but I know she can tell that I'm only half-engaged in this conversation.

She proves me right when she takes me the shoulders and gives me a little shake, saying, 'Relax, Mattie. It's going to be just fine.'

'I don't know why I'm so nervous.'

'_I_ do. This means a lot to you. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised at how… intense things seem to be between you and Josh. It seems like this is a really serious relationship.'

'It is. It took me by surprise too, Mac. You know I went to work at the camp to help kids who are going through what I went through after my accident, and I guess to prove to myself that I could do it. The last thing I was expecting was to meet this _amazing_ guy… seriously Mac, I knew this experience would change my life, but not on this level.'

Mac gives me a serious look. 'Oh wow, we're talking life-changing… slow down, Mattie, you're still so young.'

I heave a sigh. If _Mac_ is saying these things, it looks like I'm in for a battle with Harm. 'You were younger than I am when you traveled the world, joined the Marine Corps, met people, did stuff… even got married.'

'Yeah, but I also dealt with alcoholism... and that marriage was a complete failure,' she says, shooting me a dry look. 'I know you have a good head on your shoulders, Mattie. All I'm saying is that it would be wise to give it time. Enjoy these years, don't rush into anything.'

'But I thought you liked Josh!'

'I do like him. But I like _you_ just a little bit more.'

We both have to laugh at that. Mac continues, 'Seriously, he seems like a good guy. But I've only just met him. Tell me more.'

I start smiling – I always do when I talk about Josh. 'Like you said, he's a good guy… a great guy. We just started out as friends. I liked the way he was with the kids. He went above and beyond the call of duty… when everyone else was taking a break, he was watching them. He was so patient and encouraging – some of these kids have some pretty difficult challenges. We discovered we worked well together, so we ended up teaming up to work with the kids with a lot of the activities.'

I sigh, thinking about how much fun it was to work with Josh. 'He always knew just what to say to make me laugh… when I was with him, I could almost forget that my legs were killing me and my neck was sore…. And then we just got… closer. One night after putting the kids to bed, we had a cup of hot chocolate outside, underneath the stars. It was _so _romantic. And then it became our thing – we would sit out there and just talk for a couple of hours every night. And then one night, he kissed me… and the rest, as they say, is history. We were practically glued to each other for all the camp cycles, and it was amazing.'

'Sounds a bit like me and Harm, we were friends that worked together too,' Mac says dryly, 'although it took us a lot more than a few weeks to get to the kissing part.'

I roll my eyes. 'Pretty much every couple on the face of the earth got to the kissing part before you and Harm did, Mac.'

We laugh together, and then I grow serious. 'I know what I want, Mac.'

Mac sighs. 'I'm not questioning that, Mattie. All I'm saying is this: don't rush into a commitment. You have your whole life ahead of you. Have fun at college, keep things light. If it's right, you guys will only get stronger as a couple over time. But you need to give it time. You'll always have my love and support, you know that. And a lot of young couples like you and Josh really go the distance and build a great life together. But I just want you to be sure that you're ready before you take any huge steps.'

'Ok Mac. Ironically, that's what Josh says he wants… to take it slow, _blah, blah, blah_.'

Mac laughs. 'Well, there's a role reversal for you – it's usually the girl that's trying to put the brakes on.'

'Don't I know it,' I reply, thinking of the jerk who I dated in my freshman year and who got me into bed only to tell me afterward that he'd "always wanted to do a cripple". 'It took me forever to get over Adam. I wish I'd put the brakes on with him.'

Mac's features harden with sudden anger. 'You never did give me that loser's last name.'

I laugh. 'That's because I'm over him. And because I don't want him to get hurt by a rampaging Marine!'

'I don't want to hit him,' Mac says, and then pauses for a second. 'Ok, I do want to hit him, but I won't. He and I just need to have a little chat about what happens when people mess with my family.'

I roll my eyes. 'Now you're getting melodramatic, Mac. Seriously, leave it alone. My pride was hurt more than anything else. I was just really flattered that he wanted to be with me – or at least I thought he did. I'll admit that I felt like crap for a while, but now when I see him around on campus, all I feel is pity. It's all behind me now; especially with Josh… at least I know for sure how he feels about me.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, he hasn't said it yet but I know he loves me. Which is perfect because I love him too.'

'You're sure about that?'

'Which part – me or him?'

'_Duh_, you of course,' Mac replies, 'because he would have to be absolutely insane not to love you… anyone would love you.'

'I'm pretty sure about how I feel,' I say, 'sure enough to take it slow like Josh wants, which should make you happy.'

Mac pulls me into a big hug. Her baby bump gets in the way, and we laugh. 'It does. But you know what _really_ makes me happy?'

'What?'

'Having you home with us. I love you, Mattie.'

'Love you too, Mac.'


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Thanks so much to jpstar57, Luvs2write, robertwnielsen, jrfanfrommo, and everyone who's been reading and reviewing! It means the world to me. Here's the final chapter in this story.**_

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Mac's POV:**_

So, dinner was a disaster.

Harm barely said two words to Josh. Josh valiantly tried to talk to him a few times, but Harm's replies were cold and terse, and he barely looked at Josh. The rest of us tried to keep the conversation flowing, but with Harm sitting there like a grumpy bump on a log, it was just awkward. And awful.

At one point, Katie just couldn't hold it in. 'Why are you mad, Daddy?'

'I'm not mad, sweetheart,' he replied, looking for all the world like a little kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. If I wasn't so mad at him myself, I'd have laughed out loud.

Katie was clearly confused. 'But if you're not mad, why aren't you talking?'

Obviously at a loss for words, Harm managed to stutter out, 'I'm fine Katie, just… just a little… tired.'

Katie looked first despondent, then angry. 'The baby already makes Mommy tired, now the baby's making you tired too!' She threw down her fork and ran upstairs, her dad on her heels.

Not long after that, Harm and Katie returned, the latter looking much more cheerful. Dinner ended, and while Mattie and Josh cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher, Harm made his way to his study, muttering something about "important papers". Then a subdued Mattie and Josh went out to the porch to talk. I spent the rest of the evening with Jack and Katie, although Harm did show up to say good night to them at bedtime.

Now I'm getting ready for bed. Harm knows I'm mad at him. He comes into our bedroom and just stands there, watching me silently. I slip into bed without saying a word. I hear him go into the bathroom, and then minutes later, he gets into bed too. I'm lying on my side, face to the wall, a pillow tucked between my knees. I feel him move closer, until his chest is flush against my back. Usually I love spooning with Harm, especially these days… but tonight I'm angry. He gently slips an arm over me, and just as gently, I pick his arm up and move it away.

'Mac,' he says softly, 'we promised to never go to bed mad at each other.'

I roll onto my back and glare at him. 'We're not mad at each other, Harm._ I'm_ mad at _you_.'

He sighs. 'I know.'

'Why were you so awful at dinner?'

'I don't know.'

'_You don't know_, Harm?'

'I guess I just would have preferred it if Mattie had come home alone, like she usually does. This is the first time she's brought a boyfriend to stay here, and it bothers me. I don't mind meeting her boyfriends when we go to visit her at school – well, I don't _like _meeting them either, but I _really_ don't like the idea of this… guy invading our home.'

'_Invading_? I asked him to stay, Harm. And now I wish I hadn't.' I sigh heavily, and then continue. 'It probably would have been better for him to go to a hotel. I hate knowing that I invited him here and that he must feel so unwelcome and uncomfortable right now.'

Harm touches my face gently. 'No Mac, you were right. I was wrong. I'm being unreasonable. And I don't even know why.'

'I think I do. You're afraid of losing Mattie. This isn't about Josh - not really. You're afraid of Mattie going out on her own, having her own home, her own life, whether it's alone or with someone else. This is about you wanting to hold on to her forever. And you need to face up to the fact that you can't, Harm.'

He's propped up on one elbow, leaning over me, sad eyes focused on my face. I reach up to touch _his _face… dear, dear Harm, who has never quite gotten over his fear of losing the people he loves. And my voice drops a few notches. 'She'll always be your daughter, that's _never_ going to change. But other things will. She's not a teenager anymore, she's a young woman. She is going to move out of this house one day soon, whether or not things work out with Josh or any other man. Mattie is too independent to live here for much longer. Once she graduates college and gets a job, she is going to want her own space. And you, and all of us, are going to have to learn to deal with it.'

Harm sighs and catches my hand, lacing his fingers through mine, studying the linked fingers. 'You're right, Mac. I know she's strong, but her physical challenges and past experiences have left her more vulnerable than she probably realizes. I hate the thought of some lowlife taking advantage of that and treating her badly. I don't want that to ever happen.'

I can only hope that my face is as expressionless as I think it is. I promised Mattie that Harm would never find out about that pond-scum Adam from me, and I have to maintain her confidence.

'It's a cruel world out there, Harm,' I say, 'and God knows Mattie has already experienced more than her fair share of that cruelty. As much as we'd like to, we can't protect our kids from everything. They need to explore the world on their own, learn things for themselves….'

'I know,' he interrupts, 'and that's why I was in favor of her going to college out of town. But I guess somewhere in my head, I'd managed to convince myself that once she was done, she'd be back here with us.' He laughs, and his laughter is slightly caustic. 'I'm an idiot… if there's one thing I love about Mattie; it's her strength and determination. I should have known better.'

I free my fingers from his, and run them through his hair. 'It's perfectly understandable, Harm. But you have to trust in your relationship – it _will_ change as she gets older, but change isn't always a bad thing.'

'I know. I'm sorry about tonight.'

'That's ok Harm – well, it's not _ok_ but I forgive you. And I know you'll make it up to Mattie and Josh tomorrow. What did you think of him, by the way?'

'I may not have spoken to him much, but I was watching him out of the corner of my eye… I saw how he was with Mattie. He… he seems alright. I think… I could grow to like him.'

'Told ya.'

'But he's older. He might try to push Mattie into… things she's not quite ready for… I mean, he might be thinking marriage, for all we know.'

'Mattie and I talked, and I talked with Josh too – they _are_ really serious, but for what it's worth, they're planning to take their time, see how things go. '

'Well, that's something, I guess. But you're right, I have to learn to let go and watch her make her own choices, even if I don't agree with them. It's just so much easier said than done.' He sighs deeply. 'Now let's get some sleep.' His arm comes around me again, and this time, I snuggle into his solid warmth.

'I'm so lucky to have you,' Harm whispers in my ear, and I smile.

'I'm lucky to have you too,' I reply, 'even when you behave badly.' I chuckle to myself. 'Wasn't it hysterical when Katie asked you if you were mad?'

'Only if you think my embarrassment is hysterical,' Harm responds dryly.

'I love our kids… if we don't hold each other accountable, they'll step right in and do it for us. Did you have a good talk when you followed her upstairs? She seemed much happier when you came back down.'

'Well,' Harm replies, 'I told her she shouldn't have left the table like that. She apologized, and then said she was just sad because the baby was making everyone tired already. Then I admitted that Daddy was just acting a little silly because he was in a bad mood, and that it had nothing to do with the baby.'

'Yeah? What did she say to that?'

'More like, what _didn't_ she say? I got a long lecture about how important it is to smile and be happy and not stay in a bad mood, because "the world is such a beautiful place".'

'_That's_ my little angel. Katie is so smart. Sometimes I wonder if we're really raising these amazing kids -'

'Or if they're raising us, right?'

We laugh and then fall silent. I'm lying there, feeling content and at peace, when I feel Harm's hand start to wander.

'Uh,' I mumble, 'what's your hand doing… down there?'

His voice is low and husky. 'How about,' the hand moves again, higher than my belly this time, 'up here?'

'I thought you told Katie you were tired,' I whisper, laughing softly.

'Well… you know how those tired spells come and go….' His hand drifts down again.

Yep, I really am a lucky girl.

_**Four days later**_

_**Mattie's POV:**_

Well, it turns out that Mac was right - things worked out great after all. I was really mad at Harm after he was so rude to Josh at dinner. The next morning, I cornered him on his way out to his car.

'Congratulations, Harm.'

'Congratulations?' he asked, looking very pleased with himself, and infuriating me even more.

'Yes, congratulations on successfully chasing Josh out of this house, and probably out of my life. How could you be so judgmental? You made up your mind not to like him even before you got to know him.'

'Hmm… last time I checked, Josh was still here.'

'Yeah, but he's leaving this morning.'

'When did he say that?'

'What?' I was totally confused. 'Last night, of course, after you froze him out. Actually, he would have left after dinner if I hadn't talked him out of it.'

Harm just smiled. I could scream. 'What on earth are you grinning about?' I practically yelled, 'you've just ruined my entire life.'

'Well, that's comforting.'

'Comforting?' I had to wonder if Harm had lost his mind.

'Yes, it's comforting that you still haven't lost the teenager's gift for exaggeration – I may have ruined the evening, but definitely not your entire life.' He paused and shook his head. 'Huh. I never thought I'd draw comfort from your talent for overstatement, but right now, every small reminder that you're still "our Mattie" means a lot.'

I threw up my hands in complete exasperation. 'What's gotten into you, Harm? I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you and you're making weird jokes. This is important to me.'

'Come sit in the car with me for a minute,' Harm said.

I did, even though I really wanted to just walk away from him. I was so confused and annoyed by his attitude – this was my first time home in months, and I'd been so looking forward to seeing him again and telling him about camp and all the epic things that had happened there, and now he was just ruining _everything_.

'Mattie,' Harm began, after he sat in the driver's seat and I sat beside him, 'I'm sorry about the way I acted at dinner. It wasn't about Josh – from what I've seen of him, he seems like a good guy.'

Well, that was certainly not what I was expecting to hear. 'So what was it about, then?'

'It was about _me_ turning into a sentimental old man who can't quite deal with the reality that his teenage girl is now a young woman… one who's going to run off with some man someday soon and forget all about… us.'

Well, my heart just melted into mush at that – can you blame me? But I had to hold out a little longer – a girl's gotta have her pride. 'You didn't have to be so cold to Josh though.'

Harm sighed. 'I know, and I'm sorry. I guess it all just took me by surprise - I suddenly realized that you really _are_ all grown up now – and I just shut down. But if it means anything, I think that out of all the guys you've dated – well, the ones I've met at least, he's definitely the one with the most potential to be worthy of you one day.'

Holding out be damned. I reached out my arms and hugged him hard. 'Thank you. That means _everything_ to me. And don't worry,' I whispered, 'I'll always be "your Mattie". You've been there for me, through everything. You, Mac, Jack, Katie, the little one in Mac's belly – in my heart you're my family, just as much as the family I was born into – and more, in some ways. I'll never forget that – and no matter what happens, I'll never, _ever _forget you.'

Harm hugged me back, and all he said was, 'I know… now get out of here so I can get to work.'

I could tell he was emotional – and so was I. Some of my fighting spirit came back though, and as I stepped out of the car, I threw over my shoulder, 'So, is Josh going to get an apology too? I think he'd appreciate one.'

'Don't push your luck,' Harm replied. 'Besides, he's already getting something he'll appreciate a lot more.'

'And what's that?' I asked, returning to the state of confusion that I was in when the conversation began.

'A nice, healthy dose of Navy discipline.'

'Huh?'

'Ask Josh,' Harm called out, his voice filled with laughter again, as he backed out of the driveway.

So, like I said, everything worked out great. Josh has been here for four days now, and he's actually really enjoying his visit. It's all going great… well, apart from the fact that Harm's been subjecting poor Josh to physical torture.

_**Josh's POV:**_

I was all set to leave for a hotel after getting frozen out at the dinner table on the first day of my visit. By his stony silence and remoteness, the Admiral couldn't have made it any plainer that he didn't want me in his house. (I call him Harm to his face, but in my head he's "the Admiral".) Mattie persuaded me to stay the night so as not to hurt Mac's feelings, but I'd made up my mind to leave the next day… don't get me wrong, I wasn't giving up; I just thought it would be easier to get to know the family if I got out of the Admiral's immediate environment, the way he clearly wanted me to.

Anyway, all that changed when, the morning after his frosty reception, the Admiral knocked on the guest room door at 5.00am and asked if I'd like to join him for a run. Through my half-asleep haze, I thought it would be a great opportunity, a second chance to impress him; and I did bring my running shoes, so I jumped at the offer.

I guess I underestimated the Admiral's physical fitness – he may be twenty years older than I am, but apparently he's in twenty times better shape as well. Fifteen minutes into a punishing run, I realized I was starting to feel dizzy… but the Admiral was barely panting. Ten minutes later, I was completely unable to keep up with him, lagging a good few feet behind. The Admiral looked back at the pathetic figure wheezing and puffing behind him (in other words, me), and then he slowed down and asked, 'You ok back there?'

I barely managed to get the word 'Yes' out, between wheezes and labored breaths. Suddenly the Admiral stopped, turned around and said, 'How about we walk back home?'

'No sir,' I replied, still breathing harder than I think I ever have in my entire life, 'I'm ok.'

He patted me on the shoulder and looked pleased, and then we jogged back at a more… human pace. I think it was some kind of test, and I think I just might have passed. When we got back to the house, the Admiral made breakfast while we talked about my work with children, and adoption, clearly a topic close to his heart.

Just before he went upstairs, he tossed over his shoulder, '0500 tomorrow?'

It's now Day 5 of my stay, and we've been out running every morning. I'm keeping up with the Admiral a little better now, or maybe that's just wishful thinking. Our post-run conversations have only deepened my respect for him. He's definitely everything Mattie always said he was – in her words, "More than anything, he is just a really good man". I have to admit that I am still a little bit in awe of him, but I think – I hope – that one day we'll have a solid relationship. (Sure, I was a little shocked when he confessed that he had a friend check if I had a criminal record, but hey, at least he told me about it.)

Overall, I've enjoyed my stay with the Rabbs more than I dared to hope or expect. Mac is amazing; I see now why Mattie looks up to her so much. There's a sense of calmness about Mac, but also a vibrant energy. She is both gracious and gutsy. I feel like I've known her for years, not days. And Jack and Katie are such great kids – I'm going to miss them when I leave tomorrow.

It's 11pm. Mattie and I have been out on the porch for a couple of hours, just talking. The thought of leaving her tomorrow… it scares me sometimes just how important she's become to me. Even scarier is the fact that she's going back to college soon – I realize that when Mattie returns to life on campus, our relationship, which means so much to me, just might shrink to nothing more than a summer flirtation in her mind. But I restrain the urge to unload my fears onto her. If this is going to last, it has to be what we both want. I would hate to burden her with guilt or make her feel obligated to keep seeing me. What will be, will be.

I heave a sigh and pull her to her feet. 'We should go in.'

'Just a little longer,' she pleads.

'You need to rest, Mattie. And I have a 5.00 wake-up call tomorrow.'

_**Thanks again to you all for reading and reviewing... in the next story in this series, the family will finally welcome their new arrival.**_


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